Felicity defends her place in Olivers' life
by Gin2a
Summary: Felicity defends herself to Moira, Laurel and Sara, and is adamant that she will not abandon Oliver.
1. Chapter 1

Felicity was startled when she walked into Olivers' office, babbling randomly, and found not one but all of his 'other women' sitting around the small couches. Moira on the double seater ,and Laurel and Sara each in a one seater. She gave a start.

"Oh good evening ladies, I didn't know you were here to see Oliver, I mean Mr Queen, I mean all of you. Wow, all of you, here together. Ok." She bit her lip, knowing that Oliver was out on another mission and silently angry that he left her here to deal with this, especially after everything that has happened between her and Moira. "I will let Oliver, I mean Mr Queen know that you are here".

"No that is alright Felicity, we are actually here to see you", it was Moira who spoke.

_Oh no, they are going to kill me, Moira hates me and Sara was in the league of assassins, they came here to kill me. _

"Oh, me, really? I can't imagine why?" Felicity retorted

It was Laurel who spoke next, "You need to stay away from Oliver, or as you _should_ refer to him, Mr Queen. We can all see the way you look at him and you need to know that you are only making things difficult for yourself. He doesn't need your IT skills as much as he thinks he does and soon he will realise that and toss you aside. I'm just telling you this for your own good".

Felicity sat down on the only remaining chair, taken aback by watch seemed to be happening, these three women were here to get rid of her, _ hey I was not far off, they are trying to get rid of me, I really hope they don't try to kill me, I won't stand a chance, Felicity thought._

Laurel sounded bitter, and hostile, and even though she had done everything in her power to avoid contact with Sara since she found out that she was dating Oliver, apparently her animosity towards Felicity trumped the animosity she had towards her sister.

_Oh right Sara, she was dating Oliver and she knows his secret, surely she will stand up for Felicity. _Felicity looked towards her with a knowing half smile, expecting a defence, when Sara started in on the attack too.

"You have outstayed your welcome Felicity, you were always just a place holder for what was missing and now that its back he doesn't need you anymore, surely you must have noticed. " Sara was referring to her joining 'team arrow' and Felicity new it. She was right too, Felicity couldn't deny how crowded it had become in the Lair, or the fact that Oliver seemed to need to technical prowess less than usual as of late. But she knew his secret and she was not going to leave him.

While Felicity was absorbing the shock of being betrayed by another member of the team, and berating herself for not seeing it coming, Moira must have taken this as a sign of defeat because she launched into her verbal assault.

"I have warned you once Felicity, most people aren't lucky enough to get a second warning, make no mistake there will not be a third".

This snapped Felicity out of her revere, just as Oliver arrived in the foyer of his office. He was taken aback at the site of the four women and though it prudent to observe the interaction before proceeding.

To his surprise Felicity took a moment to compose herself, stood up and calmly said, "_Oliver, _is my friend, he relies on my technical expertise, as you well know, (she added looking at Sara), and I enjoy by job. I will not leave him. Now, if you have any other complaints about my work or my friendship with Oliver, I suggest you take it up with him".

As she turned to leave Oliver thought it an appropriate time to step in, "Hello ladies, am I interrupting something?"

"Girl talk," quipped Felicity, as she was about to pass him on her was out of the office he stepped in front of her and placed his hand gently on her right elbow, effortlessly guiding her around as he does. "That's interesting, "he started "because I could have sword I heard you having to defend your presence in my life, just now. I'm sure I'm wrong, however in the interest of full disclosure let me be clear, Felicity is my friend, my assistant, my partner (he added quietly, looking at her), and a vital member of the QC family, and she will not be leaving" he finished, adding in a less vigilante tone, "I think I'm getting better as being a CEO, don't you?"

Turning to Felicity she smiled at him, a look that said thank you, he hoped she knew how much it meant to him that she had the courage to stand up to his ex-girlfriend, his current girlfriend , a former assassin, and his mother who had conspired to kill hundreds of people, and adamantly refuse to back down. "You don't really like your day job do you?" he asked quietly, she chuckled, "I will still never get you coffee".

Note to the readers:

This is my first attempt at writing, please let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2 - Oliver's Moving out

It had been tense in the mansion since Oliver found out about Malcolm being Theas' father, he avoided his mother as much as possible, and even though the house was so large he found it stifling. Then after the encounter in his office this evening he knew he had to leave. He walked up to Theas' room and knocked on the door.

"Come in," she said in her usual after work exhaustion. She was doing a wonderful job running the club but with everything that had happened recently he could see she was drained. He didn't want to leave her here, but he also knew that he couldn't stay.

"Hey Oli".

"Hi Thea," he started and she must have seen on his face that he was going to say something she didn't want to hear.

"Is everything ok? Mom?" she interjected before he had the time to continue.

Holding up his hand to stop her he said, "Mom's fine, everything is fine, I just wanted to talk to you about something." He paused; this was going to be harder than he thought. "I've been thinking about moving out, getting my own place in the city. I just wanted to see how you would feel about that. I know we haven't spent enough time since I got back and I didn't want you to think I was abandoning you again?"

To his surprise Thea started to laugh, "What is so funny?" he asked puzzled.

"Oli, you are almost 30 years old and you still live with your Mom; it's about time you move out".

"Really, so you think it's a good idea? I thought this would be harder".

"In case you hadn't noticed Oli, I'm not a child anymore, besides I'll still see you. So do you need help finding an apartment, so exciting?"

Oliver chuckled, "Thank you, no actually I have already found something, I will be moving out this weekend".

"Good. Oh, did I hear you say house warming, well Oli, I think that is a wonderful idea, I'll take care of everything," Thea quipped.

"Sounds perfect Thea, thank you," Oliver said on his way out of the room.

Happy that it went so well with Thea, there were a few more people Oliver needed to talk to. He made his way to the living room where he found his mother. It had been icy between them lately and Moira trying to persuade Felicity to betray him, for a second time, only enhanced his feelings of animosity towards her.

"Darling, you are home," Moira said as he walked in, it still surprised him how she could put on that smile, that she had done nothing wrong, even when it was just the two of them.

"Mother," he said, void of emotion. "I have just come to inform you that I will be moving out this weekend. I have found a place in the city."

Moira looked taken aback. _She must have seen this coming, _Oliver thought, _she couldn't possibly thing that I would stay here after everything she has done. _

"I suppose Felicity found it for you?" Moira's words hissed like a snake. "That girl is no good for you Oliver, she had been trying to come between the people who love you since you met. You must know that she is just a gold digger with a crush, I don't know how you let her get this involved in your life, but it needs to come to an end."

"You cannot be serious; did we not just go over this earlier this evening? Felicity is my friend, nothing more, and one of the only people in my life who always tells' me the truth. Not that you would know anything about telling the truth. Regardless, moving out was my idea, it is not up for discussion. Oh, and just to be clear, Felicity is off limits, if she gets so much as a paper cut you will have me to deal with. "

"Oliver," Moira started, but he cut her off, "Good night Moira".

The next day in the lair Oliver told, Diggle, Sara and Felicity of his decision to move out. Sara and Diggle seemed happy about it, but Felicity became quiet, more quiet than usual and that was saying something, since the incident in the office the lair had seemed overcrowded and suspiciously calm. Sara and Felicity didn't so much as look at each other, not that he could blame them.

Oliver had confronted Sara about taking part in the 'Felicity intervention' and she had said that the only reason she was there was too keep up appearances, people may become suspicious if Olivers' new girlfriend wasn't jealous of his attractive secretary, and Felicity said that she understood, but things were far from copasetic.

Diggle congratulated him and Sara moved towards him, giving him a kiss and speaking into his ear (although loudly enough for the others to hear), "remember to leave a drawer open for me".

Oliver was surprised by the comment, he didn't think their relationship was at that point yet, they both still had so much to figure out. All he could manage was, "Of course," and a weak smile. From where he was standing he could see Felicity visible tense at the interaction. It hurt him, almost physically, to see her like this. But she was with Barry, even if he is in a coma, and although Oliver loves her it is platonic, he could never think of her like that. He hated that she was in pain, he wanted to so badly to protect her.


	3. Chapter 3 - Felicity and the wine

Saturday afternoon Oliver was almost finished moving into his new apartment when he found a bottle of 1987 Shiraz that his father had bought for him to open on his 21st birthday. He had forgotten about it until now and the memory was painful. His father had told him to share it with someone special and in that moment only felicity was on his mind. He knew it should be Sara, they were dating now, but Felicity understands him in a way that nobody else does.

He had told Felicity and Diggle to take the day off while he moved and Sara was with her family. He picked up the bottle of wine and headed out, it was the last load to move and a quick stop on the way to the apartment would be ok, wouldn't it?

He walked up the four flights of stairs and stood at the door. Suddenly unsure of what he was doing. He had never been to Felicity's apartment. Would she want him there? Should he have called first? Would she even be home? He was being ridiculous, they are friends, it's perfectly ok to stop by to see a friend, and he still owed her a bottle of wind from that ridiculous scavenger hunt lie he told her last year.

He knocked on the door, surprised at how nervous he was. "Who is it?" Felicity's voice called out from within.

"Um, it's me, Oliver".

"Oliver? Is everything ok? Diggle, is he…?"

She opened the door wearing very short shorts and a peach tank top. Her hair was loose falling in waves around her shoulders and she looks more relaxed and beautiful than he had ever seen her before.

"Diggle is fine, there is nothing wrong Felicity. I just found this bottle of wine while I was moving and remembered that I still owed you a bottle."

"Oh, right, wow. Come on in," she said suddenly self-conscious about what she was wearing.

"Thank you." He looked at her and smiled, he liked the way she got nervous, it made him remember that there is still pure goodness in the world. He handed her the bottle as he came inside, it looked old and expensive. She knows the Queens have money, obviously, but it looked special in a way she could not describe.

"Would you like a glass?" Felicity offered from the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you," he replied.

She poured them each a glass and came out to find him standing in the living room looking decidedly out of place. She handed him his glass and sat down on the couch, he joined her, sitting a few inched away staring into is glass. The proximity made her nervous, she could smell him, the way only he smelled, a mixture of cologne and sweat; she could feel his warmth radiating off his body. She wanted to melt.

"Cheers," she said, they clinked their glasses and each took a sip. It was a wonderful bottle, dark roasting tones with berry flavours. "Mmm, this is very nice, are you sure u wanted to share it with me?"

She sat watching him for a minute as he looked into his glass, a sad smile on his lips. He looked up slowly as he began, "My father gave me this bottle when I was 18. He said I should open it when I turned 21 and drink it with someone special. I had forgotten about in until I found it today while I was packing."

Felicity gasped silently. He looked so fragile, talking about his father as the good man he remembered instead of the man who he been part of the undertaking. She could feel herself start to blush, "And you decided to share it with me?" honoured and surprised by the gesture.

"I don't think I ever told you how much it meant to me that you defended our friendship the other day. It was quite an intimidating group, but you are much stronger than you seem, Felicity and they underestimated that."

She looked down into her glass, with a small smile and said, "I don't know why they think I'm such a threat, I'm just the boring IT girl."

Gently her put his hand under her chin and lifted it so she was looking directly at him, "You are so much more to me that that, you know that don't you."

She smiled, looking deeply into his eyes, it was like she could strait through him to the person he was underneath the arrow, and the Oliver Queen he was in public, like she could see the person he wanted to be.

"Actually, Oliver, I wanted to talk to you about that."

"Hm, what, is it?"

"Am I the reason you are moving out? I just seems' like lately all I have done is get between you and your mother and I'm sorry, I didn't want to make your life more complicated than it already is?"

"Felicity, you are the only person in my life who never lied to me. It's important to me, and is something that I need. My mothers' lies are not your fault, and I'm grateful that you told me. I meant what I though, you are not going to lose me."

"Well I'm not that easy to get rid of, like you said, I'm tougher than I look," Felicity quipped putting her fists up in the air.

"Woah, take it easy there, I see Diggle is teaching you well," Oliver smiled just as his phone rang. "It's a message from Sara, she is on her was to look at the new place, I guess I should get going?"

"I guess you should." With a small sigh Felicity thanked him for the wine, "I know how much it meant to you."

"I hope you know how much you mean to me too," and with that he lightly touched her shoulder and walked out the door.


	4. What is love after loss

Sara arrived at Olivers' new apartment before he did, she thought it was strange. As he pulled up to the front door and got out she asked," Hey, where were you? I thought you said you were here?"

"Oh, I was but Thea called, I forgot one of my boxes at the mansion and she wanted to say goodbye," he replied, hauling a box out of his tiny boot, really not a practical car for a vigilante she thought. But he is carrying a box and it is reasonable that Thea wanted to say bye. Pushing the feelings of doubt away Sara walked towards her boyfriend and kissed him. It was nice, she had a crush on Oliver for as long as she could remember and they had been through so much together.

As they exited the lift, it opened onto two bedroom flat. It was smaller than she was expecting for his Oliver Queen playboy image, but beautiful. He put down the box and showed her around. They spent the next two hours sitting on the rug in front of the fire place. They ordered in Chinese food and opened a bottle of fine, a rare night with no distractions and no missions. They spoke about Sara's family, Laurel will accept their relationship eventually, she will also forgive Sara, for leaving, for not coming back until she did and for steeling Oliver. They were sisters; they can and will move past this.

At least they managed to do a bit of bonding while waiting for Felicity to come into the office. AT least they agreed that regardless of what was happening between them, felicity needed to go.

Sara snapped out of her revere when Oliver offered her another glass of wine. She hoped he hadn't been talking, she wouldn't have heard anything, but the look on his face told her that he was as lost in his thoughts as she was.

There was so little to say. What was left? They knew each other, what they have been though and what they have done and had to do to survive and there was also the times they weren't together the unspoken acts, the knowledge that there was no need to discuss the tragic past and the happiness that despite everything they both made it back alive. They were together. They were home. It was the only though that got her though some of the times on the island, and not it was real.

She thought back to that time, the carefree girl she was before. The teenager with a crush and the one to wanted to get back to her life before. She was like an old forgotten, friend. Distant. When had it changed, when had she changed?

Sara knew the past 5 years had changed her, how could they not. She also knew that she was done with killing. It had taken its toll on her more than she cared to admit but she was starting to notice things. She was sitting here with the man who had occupied so many of her thoughts and when she looked at him all she saw was a mirror of her own brokenness. He wasn't the charming playboy that she had fallen in love with, just as she wasn't the same innocent young girl.

She took comfort in the knowledge that he understands her; that he won't push, or ask for something she can't give. She has already had to give up so much of herself; she can't give away any more, not even to Oliver.

Oliver and Sara spent the night together. They had been spending a lot of time together lately. The only time he didn't see her was while he was at QC, which was where he was now, at his desk, lost in thought. She spent her days…he didn't really know how she spent her days, in the lair or with her family he supposed. Perhaps he should fine out now that they are dating? They spend their nights together in the lair and going out on missions and then they leave together and go back to his apartment.

It's easy, no lying about where he has been or what he had been doing, (except that glass of wine with Felicity, once), like he has had to with his other girlfriends. She understands him, and what he is doing and he doesn't worry about her as much as he did the others. Most likely due to the fact that she can fight better than almost anyone he knows, but he does still care.

He does care, he loves her, he could be in love with her? Couldn't he? He doesn't deserve to be happy, he didn't think he could be happy again. He barely remembers what happy feels like, but he will settle for content and he is content with Sara. She is back, and alive and safe.

Maybe, just maybe, this will be the one relationship he gets right. There will be no more surprises, and no constant worrying or lying. This is what it's supposed to feel like isn't it?


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you guys so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them and I would love to hear any more comments on the story and where you think it should go. I'm still very new at this but I have to say it has turned into an addiction. Please let me know what you think. Gin2a_

It has been two weeks since he had moved into his new apartment, and things were settling down nicely, he thought. They seemed to have found their rhythm. Days spend at QC and nights at the foundry or out on patrol and then back to his place with Sara. He was happy. It was easy.

He had been in the training room for about an hour when he herd Sara and Digg entre, discussing the type of training they would do today. He smiled, Digg and Sara seemed to get along well, and Sara and Felicity, well he never really saw them together but he was sure that they were becoming friends. That was when he realised, where is Felicity? He had hardly seen her in the past two weeks.

She passed him his schedule in the morning at QC and then sat at her desk, she didn't come in to talk to him when he wasn't in a meeting, she emailed him her updated instead of standing in front of him excited and flustered, and she had started going out for lunch now too. She had been in the lair less too. Coming in a little earlier, working quietly at her computer and then leaving soon after she arrived if they weren't out on a mission. He missed her. He missed the soft, soothing sound of her expert hands over the keyboard. He missed the way she would stare at him while he was working out and thought he didn't notice and he missed the way she babbled when he stood just a little too close. He would never admit that he did it purposefully. He loved the way her mind would run away with her and flushed so easily. He missed the light she would bring into his dark life, like she was the sun, lighting up his own personal dark universe.

He was so lost in thought he didn't even notice when Digg came at him with a blow to his right ribs. Not nearly as deadly a punch as Digg was capable of but he wasn't expecting it so it did some damage. "What happened to always being vigilant, '_never let your guard down'?"_ Digg questioned, "You ok?"

Still reeling from the hit Oliver just mumbled an, "I'm fine," before stepping to weapon section and picking up two judo sticks. Oliver shook the thoughts he had been having out of his head, _where did they come from? Felicity was his friend, just a friend. He was with, is with, Sara and they are happy. Oliver, you are just being over protective, he chided himself. _With that three of them started sparring.

A few minutes later Felicity came walking flightily down the stairs, humming to herself. When she reached the bottom she sang out "coffee," lifting a tray with 4 large coffee's on it and sat down at her desk. She smiled brightly and spun her hair around in her fingers, her eyes focusing on the upper right corner of the lair.

The three finished their sparring set and each grabbed a towel before heading towards Felicity's desk to get the coffee. It was Digg who spoke up first, "Hey Felicity, are you ok? You have been unusually quiet and have been staring at the sealing for the past 10 minutes?"

"Oh, sorry, I'll get back to work," she answered.

"You didn't answer my question," Digg continued, "are you ok?"

"Hu, yeah I'm fine, great actually. I have a date. Saturday night. I was in the coffee shop, I was tired it's been along week and I thought we could all use a pick-me-up so I went out to get it, and there was this guy there, in line with me. He was really cute, well handsome really and when the man in front of me rounded he knocked me over pushing me wright into Dylan. He was so sweet about it. He helped me get my balance and then lamented the man who had pushed me. We started talking and we got along really well, at least I thought we did and he must have too because he asked me out, Saturday night, 'she finished with a flourish.

Oliver was stunned. A DATE, Felicity was going out on a date. An overwhelming sense of anger washed over him in an instant. _Who is this man? Why would she say yes? What if he hurts her? _A million thoughts ran through his head, the most disconcerting was _why? Why did he feel like this. It had happened before, when Barry came along, but Barry was now in a coma and although Felicity still cared about him it was easier to know that he was lying 'asleep' as Felicity called it, unable to take her away from him. Away from _him_. Maybe that was it. He knew he could not loose Felicity._

With a start he came back to the scene in the foundry and to his surprise it was Sara who spoke, or uttered, "Humph," was all she managed before crossing her arms and stalking away. Digg spoke next, "I'm happy for you Felicity, you deserve a night off."

"Thanks, Digg. I'm really looking forward to it." And she continued looking at Oliver, "and you don't need me right? I mean, you have that gala at the National Art Foundation, so you and Sara will be there all night. No hooded stuff."

He just stood there, mouth closed, tight, pulled into a straight line. "Um, yes the gala, yes. Sara and I will be there so no 'hooded' stuff."

"Good then I will see you all on Monday." She finished with a smile. She turned back to her computers and carried on with the data analysis for their latest mission. Two hours later, while the others were cleaning their equipment, Felicity packed up her things, switched off her monitors and left them with a smile and a wave. The air in the lair had been heave since she mentioned her date but she didn't seem to notice.

The rest of the week passed in a blur and soon Felicity was getting ready for her date, butterflies in her stomach and curlers in her hair.


	6. Chapter 6 - Bad Date

_Hey guy, so sorry that is has taken me so long to post this. Hopefully I will have another chapter done by the end of the week. Please let me know what you think, I live for your comments. I hope you guys enjoy this. XOXO Gin2a_

Felicity sat in front of the mirror, still in her bath robe, curlers in her hair, looking at the pale blue dress hanging up on the cupboard behind her. It was soft chiffon that flowed when she walked, the straps crossed over her back and it fell loosely over her front. She finished putting on her makeup, rolled the curlers out of her hair and put on the dress. Since this was a date she opted for contacts instead of glasses and when she was done she was happy with the result.

She grabbed her dark blue clutch and black button up coat and headed for the door. On her way to the restaurant she was all too aware of the butterflies in her stomach, she had no idea who this man was, despite doing a full background check, she wasn't a complete idiot and she was certainly not going to go into this blind. If the past year and a half working with Oliver and Digg had taught her anything it was that you can never be too careful. Oliver. She had almost made it to the restaurant without thinking about him. She chided herself silently.

She pulled into an open parking and sat there for a minute gathering her thoughts. What was Oliver doing at her apartment the other night, not that she was complaining, just confused. They had never been friends outside of work and the foundry before, not really. And she knew he cared about her but not that way she cared about him, he had made that abundantly clear. He is with Sara now.

"Ok time to move on," she muttered to herself, before getting out of the car and making her way to the restaurant. She walked in and took off her coat, checked it at the coat check and started looking around for Dylan. She spotted him at a table in the corner and he waved pleasantly as she approached.

"Wow, you look amazing, "he said as he pulled out her chair to sit down.

"Thank you." She answered as she sat down, a light blush started to creep up her cheeks. It's been a long time since anyone had said that to her.

She looked up to see Dylan smiling intently as he looked at her. She smiles back and the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach only began to flutter more. After a long moment he broke the silence when he asked her what she wanted to drink. Red wine was her automatic answer and he surprised her with his answer, "Good, because I have already ordered us a wonderful bottle of Merlot, I know you will enjoy it."

_Wow, _felicity thought, _is it wrong that I find his pre-ordering the wine incredibly sexy, and yet misogynistic at the same time? Maybe it shows decisiveness and that he is not afraid to go after what he wants. _"Thank you, I'm sure I will," was all she managed to answer with.

The waitress brought the wine and he was right it was wonderful. They sat there for a long while drinking the wine and talking and by the time the waitress came back to take their order Felicity had not even opened the menu. She must have looked a bit awkward because before she could even start to ramble about needing another few minutes and not realising how long they had been talking; Dylan looked up at the waitress and ordered, for both of them. The awkward look that Felicity was wearing turned to shock and Dylan must have noticed because as the waitress walked away he smiled at her simply and said, "You will love it, trust me," before he carried on the conversation they had been having before the waitress interrupted.

_Oh no he is definitely just a misogynist. Why doesn't a background check mention things like that? Well so much for sex appeal, _she thought rather dejectedly.

Dylan was taking about the economic sate of the country and how the development of new technology could improve it as well as the lives of the lower and middle class. At any other time Felicity would have been fascinated, but all she couldn't stop her mind from replaying the events of the past few minutes. Before she could get her thoughts under control she heard Dylan's voice piercing through her revere. _Oh shit, he expects an answer, wait what were we talking about again, economics right, I hope he hasn't changed the topic. _"Um, I not think you are right, technology development should be used to enhance the lives of all people and not just weaponised for death and destruction."

At that Dylan looked amused and almost taken aback, "What?" she asked?

"You have such strong opinions about technology being used for the good of the people, and yet you work for Oliver Queen, the man who destroyed half the glades." He said matter-of-factly.

Before she could stop herself, Felicity felt the rage burning up inside her, "Oliver did not destroy the glades, his mother was coerced into helping, but she did try to stop it and Oliver has never done anything but try to protect the people in this city. He is a good man and he is doing everything in his power to make a difference." Felicity was standing now, the rage vibrating off her. She and Oliver may have _issues_ but no one was allowed to talk about him like that, not to her. She knows him better than anyone, and she knows what he has sacrificed to write his family's wrongs. She also knows the loss he has suffered, the guilt he still feels over Tommy's death.

It was only when she was about to turn and leave that she realised she had said the last part out loud. Dylan was still seated at the table across form her, his mouth opening and closing but no words were coming out, his eyes were wide in shock. The indignant look on his face only served to anger her more, she added, "and to get back to you. You are a misogynistic ass hat, who has a misplaced superiority complex and bad haircut." With that she turned and walked out, not entirely sure where the haircut comment came from she was sure she made her point.

Felicity stopped at the coat check, swapped in her ticked and walked out without putting her coat on first, she was already too warm with the rage that was just now starting to dissipate. She reached her car and started driving, with no destination in mind she just drover, for a few hours, aimlessly around the city. At close to 12am she was still on edge. _Maybe I should take up smoking for nights like these, or drinking. Drinking, I could grab a drink, the guys should have left the foundry by now. _Felicity made her way to the foundry and let herself in the back entrance, it was dark and quiet, she had been right, no one was there.

She turned on the lights and made her way up the stairs, she let herself out of the basement and into the club. Without being noticed she sneaked into the stock room and pulled out a bottle of Vodka from one of the crates Olivier kept in his private collection. He may be upset about her 'steeling' a bottle but she had just ruined her date to defend him, so she figured it was only fair that he bought her a drink.

As she was walking out, bottle in hand, she literally walked into Roy. "Oh, Roy. Hi." She started, blushing. "Felicity right?" he questioned, eyeing her outfit and the bottle in her hand. "Yes that right. How do you know my name?" she asked, she obviously knew about Roy, being Thea's boyfriend and on the Arrow's watch list, but he has never met her, she was sure about that.

"You are always here with Mr Queen, Thea and a few of the bartenders have mentioned you, I've seen you walk in and out a few times. How do you know my name?"

Oh, Felicity hadn't realised that so many people had noticed her presence that the club, she was going to need to find a better excuse than setting up computer systems, it's been far too long for that to be a plausible excuse. "Oh, um, you are Thea's boyfriend, Oliver has pointed you out," she answered giving him a half truth.

"Oliver?" he said with a smirk, then realising the rest of what she said, "Mr Queen mentioned me? That doesn't sound good, I get the impression he doesn't like me."

"Don't take it personally; he doesn't like anyone who is dating his sister. Not that there is more than one person dating Thea, I didn't mean it like that, I just mean it in a protective older brother kind of way, because that's what it is," she said with a smile, before starting to blush again.

Roy stifled a laugh, "Well enjoy the rest of your night," he said motioning his head towards the bottle in her hands. "Are you not even going to ask me about this?" she questioned, holding up the bottle. "Nope, you work for the boss man and that's his private stash," he dismissed the question as he walked out the door. Felicity hadn't even noticed that he had picked up 3 bottles of whiskey while they had been talking, and was on his way back to the bar with them.

Putting the awkward interaction out of her mind, Felicity headed back down to the basement with her new liquid date in hand.


	7. Chapter 7 - Mission suggestions

Olicity 7

Hey guys. I'm so sorry that it's been so long since my last update. I know where I want the story to go I'm just having a hard time getting there. I need a mission for them to go on or a problem that they need to solve. If you have any suggestions please let me know. I promise I will have an update by the end of the week!

Gin2a

xoxo

P.S. I know that Roy knows about the Arrow in the series but I am not following the plot exactly, the reveal will be part of my story later on, I just need Roy to not know for a few more chapters. I hope you will enjoy what I have planned.


	8. Chapter 8 The foundry - part 1

_I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to update, the next chapter should be up shortly. I know that in the show Roy already knows about Oliver being the arrow, but I just wasn't where I needed the shortly to be at his point, he may find out in a later chapter or in the next story I'm not 100% sure yet. _

_Please leave comments/reviews. This is my first fanfic and as you have probably guessed I'm still very green (for lack of a better term). I live for reviews and they really do help. _

_I hope you like this chapter. I don't have a beta, if you find any mistakes please let me know._

Felicity found herself in the basement, alone. She didn't know why she had ended up there. It hadn't been the sanctuary it had been since Sara had joined. Truthfully Felicity had nothing against Sara as a person. True she had taken Laurel and Moira's side when they ganged up on her and told her get out of Olivers' life, but that was a while ago and Laurel was her sister, they had barely known each other then. Not that they really knew each other now.

Felicity had seen the way Sara could handle pain and spar with the guys. She had scars and stories and seemed to just fit in. Felicity was jealous of that, but more than that, if she had to admit, she was jealous of the way she seemed to understand Oliver, she knew what he had been through; she had been there, with him. She knew his past and his present and she was becoming his future. They fought together like two halves of a whole, one mind with 4 arms and 4 legs and multiple weapons. Sara was there for Oliver in a way that Felicity could never be.

Yet despite everything that Sara had been through, she had a good heart, she was strong and she chose to fight for good. As much as she wanted to Felicity couldn't fault her. The few times she did spend with her, she actually quite liked her.

Felicity sat on the training mat on at the front of her computers. She could hear the comforting hum of the monitors behind her and she could smell the green leather and earthly masculine sent of Oliver on the equipment around her. Although both Dig and Sara used the equipment it still smelt primarily of Oliver. Felicity didn't know if that was due to him training infinitely more than the other two or if his sent, much like the rest of him, commanded dominance. Either way, she could smell him and even though she was angry and hurt, it still made her feel safe.

So she drank. The hum of the monitors, the smell of Oliver, and the sweet burn of the Vodka pouring down her throat, lulling her into a pleasant numbness. She was angry. Angry that Oliver had been insulted, sure, but more angry that she had felt the need to defend him and allow him to permeate yet another aspect of her life. She had been trying so hard to move on, to accept that he would never want her, not in the way she needed him to.

But she couldn't. She could not move on, she could not find a life without him, she could not accept that she would never be good enough for him. She loved him. She had known it for a long time. She was however starting to realise that she could not continue on this path either. She needed to move on, and to do that she needed to move away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara walked into the lair and noticed a sound that she could not quite place. She silently walked towards the noise and found Felicity sitting on the floor, with her head between her raised knees. She was wearing a gorgeous dress, and her hair was cascading down her back. It was only when she came up in front of her that Sara saw the open bottle next to her, and her red rimmed eyes.

Sara and Felicity were not close, and if she had to admit it, Sara knew it was her own fault, but in her own way she did like the IT girl. Sara wanted nothing more than to reach down and hug her, she didn't know what had caused the tears, but she knew what it felt like to be crying alone and no one should ever have to go through that.

"Hi" Sara chose to say instead. "Want some company?"

Felicity gasped, "Oh shit, Sara, what are you doing here? I didn't think anyone would be down her for the rest of the night."

"No, it's ok. It's been…challenging, with my family lately and I couldn't sleep, so I thought I would come down here. It helps. Great minds I guess," nodding in Felicity's direction.

"I'm sorry things are so difficult between you and Laurel, I know how much you care about her, she will come around, and you just need to give her time. She has had more life altering moments in the past 18 months than most people go though in a life time. She just needs time, I would."

"She has been nothing but condescending towards you, she convinced me to help her and Moira "force" you out of Ollie's life and after I walk in on you crying in the dark, you still manage to defend her and make comfort me?" Sara asked incredulously.

Felicity gave a small shrug and half a watery smile.

Sara in turn poked her in her right arm.

"Ow" Felicity startled, rubbing the area Sara had just poked, "so you decide it's a good idea for you to attack me?"

Sara laughed, "If I was going to attack you, you would know it. I just wanted to make sure you were real. Normal people aren't as good as you." Sara finished with a smile, "so why are you crying, here of all places?"


End file.
